© Copyright John Trout, Jr.

It wasn’t what you would call a good day to be perched in a tree.  I was fighting uncontrollable shivers brought on by a strong north wind.  A light drizzle added to my despair, as did the rapidly plummeting temperature.  Perhaps that is why I didn’t see the buck slithering past my stand.  I shouldered the gun and attempted to find him in the crosshairs of my scope, but the deer disappeared into a thicket before I could locate him.

A few minutes after the buck vanished, I heard a shot several hundred yards to the east.  My dad had also braved the brutal weather, only to be rewarded for his daring venture.  His gun dropped a huge nine-pointer.

In recent years, I have come to look forward to hunting the somber days of autumn.  In fact, a nasty day actually entices me to head for the woods.  That is why it should have been no surprise when I saw the buck sneaking past.  Nor was it a shock when I heard dad fire minutes later.  The conditions are almost unbearable when a north wind blows, but I have discovered that a miserable day considerably improves my chance of tagging a buck.

For many years I have kept records of deer sightings, and I’ve tracked my harvests and the conditions that existed on a given day.  My records include changes in barometric pressure.  I’ve seen a strong increase in buck movement when a big change in barometric pressure occurs.

Dr. Grant R. Woods, a wildlife biologist, has studied deer movement for a number of years.  His data indicate that deer move much more than usual when the barometric pressure changes by four or five points.  This change commonly occurs when a cold front approaches.  Grant said that the arrival of the first cold front of the season is the time hunters should look forward to, since deer are always prompted to move.  However, he added that any approaching cold front usually causes deer to move and feed heavily, as long as the barometric pressure declines.  He bases this fact on studies that show increased deer sightings when barometer drops.

“A rising barometer is trickier than a falling barometer,” Woods said.  This can occur when you go from an extended low that has been around for several days to a high-pressure system moving in.  Under these conditions you just don’t get a big change in deer movement.  In fact, any change is usually a gradual one.”

So, how does all this affect bucks?  First, consider the rutting activity of bucks.  The decrease of sunlight, known as photoperiodism, sparks the rut and buck movement.  This occurs regardless of approaching fronts or changing barometric pressures.  However, forget about the rut for just a moment and consider the approaching cold front and the falling barometer.  The weather conditions trigger deer movement and cause them to feed heavily.  The bucks know that the does will be up and moving, which stimulates them to move, too.

Deer want to feed before the heaviest rain or snow and strongest wind arrives so they can stay bedded when the nasty weather prevails.  But that’s not to say that some precipitation and wind will not be present as the front approaches.  On the contrary, consider the episode I mentioned at the beginning of this article.  The cold front had not yet arrived, but it was knocking at the door.

Make no mistake, an approaching warm front might also cause the barometer to fall.  Precipitation and wind may accompany to front.  However, I would not count on an increase in buck movement when a Southerly approaches.  The reason bucks don’t move as well when a warm front approaches is because the barometer doesn’t change as rapidly.  Logically, we can also assume that bucks are more comfortable when cooler temperatures exist.

Choosing to hunt a somber day is not so difficult.  However, you may find it difficult to remain on stand if you are not equipped with the proper clothing.  Rain gear is sometimes essential, as is clothing that will keep the wind at bay.

Before heading for the woods on a bad day, consider your timing.  If you get in the woods as the cold front settles on the area, more than likely you will miss the hottest action.  The best hunting occurs when the cold air first bumps against the warm air, and the temperatures start falling.  It could happen at prime hunting time in the morning or afternoon, at night, or during the midday hours.  The point is, you should be hunting when it hits.

John Trout, Jr.